Another hectic and stressful work week greeted Cory. She stopped and took a minute to gaze through the windows from her office overlooking the Queens Park Savannah just across the street. How she loved this magnificent overhead view that offered so much for her to lose her thoughts in.
Cory’s thoughts were interrupted by the buzz of her cell phone vibrating on the desk. When she looked at the screen, Adrian’s name was flashing across it. She immediately grabbed it. This was just the right kind of distraction she needed.
“Hi, gorgeous. What’s up?” Adrian asked.
“I’m fine now that I’m hearing your voice,” Cory teased. Now it was her turn to flirt with him. “Because right now, I’m so stressed out, I can’t even think clearly.”
“Well, how ’bout I take care of that stress for you?”
What was he asking here? “Hmmm, your offer sounds rather tempting.”
“So what’re you doing this evening?”
“Oh, I have plans,” Cory blurted out without even thinking. Anyway, that was good so that he wouldn’t think she was just sitting around waiting for him to call.
“Okay. Maybe we could hook up some other time, then?”
“On second thought. It’s nothing really special. I was just going jogging, that’s all,” Cory hurriedly interjected.
“That sounds like a great way to relieve that stress. Will you mind if a soldier joins you on his day off?”
“Only if he could keep up with me,” Cory teased.
Adrian was already waiting across the street from her office building when she came outside a little after five. He was definitely a man on time. Cory figured it had to do with his military training. She was impressed nevertheless.
“Hey,” he waved to her as she crossed the street. Adrian was sitting on the beautiful black wrought-iron railings that wound its way around the entire Savannah.
“Hi.” Cory came across quite breathless. Not because she’d just run across the street but because Adrian had just kissed her on her cheek. “Shall we?” she asked. “I’ve been waiting all afternoon for this.” Cory was telling the truth.
The Savannah was packed with avid walkers and joggers, the main reason being the fast-approaching Carnival. Everyone wanted to look their best for the two-day festival and to keep up with the strenuous pace of the street parade. Both Cory and Adrian were flanked by bodies of all shapes and sizes ranging from the very sexy and physically fit ones to those in need of losing the extra Christmas pounds.
The towering poui trees lined their path with a carpet of soft and pretty pink and yellow petals. They started walking at first, making small talk with each other along the way as Gothic churches, historic buildings, the U.S. Embassy, the Zoo, and the President’s House all came into their view. They spoke about their day and week so far, about the extremely hot weather and Carnival coming up.
For a Marine, Adrian was so soft-spoken and such a gentleman. Weren’t soldiers supposed to be loud and rough and arrogant? Then wasn’t he supposed to be loud and rough and arrogant, too? Although he did have the physical signs — the height and muscular-toned body and the four letters, USMC, tattooed on his left arm, Cory knew Adrian was anything but rough.
Only, he couldn’t be the same man who had kissed her so softly or caressed her cheek or stroked her breasts ever so gently with that same big hand, filling her body and mind with mad desire for him … Cory didn’t understand how he managed to pull this off. How could this man still be so gentle?
Adrian must have been asking her something while she was busy daydreaming away because he was looking very curiously at her now.
“What?” Cory asked.
“I was just wondering what had you smiling like that,” he said.
“I wasn’t smiling,” she offered with a smile.
“See. It was just like that,” Adrian laughed.
Cory took off running, leaving Adrian trailing behind. She felt like she needed to run … fast.
“Hey, maybe you shouldn’t do that just yet,” Adrian called after her. When he pulled up at her side once more, he asked, “So you really think you could keep up with me, Cory?”
Cory knew Adrian was trained for this kind of stuff but she couldn’t help herself, she just had to tease him some more.
“Oh, I think you may not be able to keep up with me, soldier boy!” Then she picked up her pace another notch and left him again.
She hadn’t gotten far when she felt a burning pain in her leg and pulled up sharply, crying out. Adrian reached her in an instant. Cory was trying to keep the weight off her injured leg and was cursing loudly. Already other curious joggers were slowing down, taking in the show.
Adrian held her arm and enquired, “Cory, are you alright?”
“No. I think I just pulled something,” she replied, grimacing in pain.
“Where does it hurt?” he asked, his voice etched with sudden concern for her.
“My leg.”
“Hmm. Did you do any stretches before, Cory?”
“Yeah.” She lied.
“Come sit over here for a while.” Adrian helped her as she hopped to one of the empty benches that lined the joggers’ path. He gently lifted her right leg out. “Show me where it hurts now.”
Cory jumped, not from the grimacing pain this time but from the heat of Adrian’s touch on her calf.
“Where does it hurt, Cory?” Adrian asked again.
“My leg. Up here,” she responded pointing.
“I’m almost positive you pulled a muscle in your thigh,” he said knowingly. “Is the pain throbbing more from behind?”
“Yes.”
“You think you could walk on it?”
“I don’t know.”
“Look, I need to go get my pickup, then. You have to rest that leg a bit. I’ll just run and get it now.”
“No! Don’t leave me here,” Cory said. They had already walked almost three quarter way around the circumference of the three-and-a-half kilometers Queen’s Park Savannah.
“I’ll be really quick. I promise. I’m parked not too far from here,” Adrian insisted. “Either that or I’ll have to carry you myself.” He smiled when he saw the look of horror flash across her face and said, “I thought so.”
“Okay, hurry back then,” Cory said.
“Yes, ma’am.” Adrian saluted and continued running in a quick sprint in the same direction.
Cory was left feeling like a complete fool sitting on the bench, mentally cursing herself for being stupid enough not to warm up first. But she got so excited when she saw Adrian that she forgot all about that. Now she was paying a very painful price indeed. She just felt like disappearing now. Maybe she should just hop back to her office. Nah. That would probably attract even more attention. The suitable thing to do was sit and wait for Adrian to come back.
After a few minutes, he pulled up with his vehicle.
“Missed me?” Adrian asked.
“You were so quick, I don’t think I had enough time to,” Cory answered.
Adrian opened the door behind his driver’s seat. Before she could protest, he swooped her into his arms and was about to lift her into his pickup.
“I need to sweep you off your feet a bit,” he joked.
Her face was incredibly close to his now. Cory wondered if Adrian could hear her loud heartbeats. “What? Where’re we going?” she protested.
“I’m taking you to my place, so you can put your legs up for a while.”
When Cory giggled at his statement, he retracted. “No, wait. Please allow me to rephrase that. I think you should keep off your feet for a while. You certainly can’t drive right now,” he quickly added. “And I don’t live too far from here.”
Cory knew Adrian was probably right. She didn’t argue or needed any further coaxing on the matter.
“Don’t worry, I won’t do anything you don’t want me to,” Adrian smiled sweetly and looked all angelic at her.
Something suddenly caught in her throat. “You promise?” Cory asked.
“I promise. Boy Scouts honor.”
He put Cory down on the back seat and closed the door. Then he got behind the wheel.
He didn’t lie when he said he lived close by. They drove for all of two minutes when Adrian pulled off the Savannah’s circumference and headed down onto St. Clair Avenue.
The suburbs of St. Clair was one of the more illustrious neighborhoods on the island, known for its prized mansions, new high-rise apartments, sprawling townhouses, and expensive condos. Cory wasn’t even in his apartment yet and she was already impressed.
Adrian made a left and pulled in front of a massive gateway that was already opening via a remote he had pressed. It looked like a newly built architectural dream. Opposite was the King George the Fifth Park. Just like the Savannah, it was busy with all forms of exercise enthusiasts. Adrian quickly parked and helped her out.
Cory didn’t notice anyone around, except for a lone guard who secured the white Mediterranean-styled building with its open verandahs overlooking the park. She quickly counted six stories on the beautiful building. Maybe soon, she’d be living in an apartment like this one, Cory thought as Adrian effortlessly lifted her into his arms again and carried her toward the elevator on the ground floor. This apartment building was right smack in the middle of everything: the malls, restaurants, gyms, the hottest night spots, and even a private hospital.
Her heart leapt in her chest when Adrian opened the door and switched on the lights.
“So this is where you live?” Cory asked the obvious. The room looked so cozy when she glanced about. She couldn’t explain the nervous shiver she momentarily felt, though. Was it because Adrian had finally brought her to his place or was it because the inside of the apartment was so cool? Not that this was remotely close to the real reason she wanted to be here.
“Yep.” Adrian set her down carefully on a plush brown sofa. “I’ll be right back,” he said and took off down a hallway.
He came back bearing a small medicine kit in his hands.
“I knew you’d have one of these things,” Cory joked.
“This is a sports balm, okay?” Adrian took out the small red bottle and opened it. “Let me warn you, it’ll burn a bit at first and then turn really cold. But trust me, it works.”
“Well, as long as it works fast. I still have to drive home.”
Adrian sat at the other end of the sofa and gently removed her running shoes and socks for her. “Only if you really want to,” he added softly.
Was that an invitation?
“I think you’ll need to roll that up,” he said, pointing at her navy blue three-quarter running tights.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” a distracted Cory offered as she pulled up the tights. He deftly but gently began to massage the balm into her sore leg muscle. All the while, she remained very rigid on the sofa, afraid to move or even speak. The heat from the rub began to scorch her skin — or was that from Adrian’s hands moving up and down her leg? Exciting her with every deliberate stroke he made. Cory wondered what his strong hands would feel like massaging other parts of her body.
Adrian really needed to stop this now. “Does anywhere else hurt?” he was asking, jolting Cory from her dreaming again.
“Yes … I mean no!”
Adrian looked up at her. “Are you sure?”
“Yes!”
“Not to worry then, I think you’ll live. Just relax here for a while and rest that leg. It should be good in a few more minutes.”
She was now comfortably propped up on his sofa with her legs outstretched. “That massage did the trick, I think. It feels really good already. You’re very good with your hands … at massaging, that is,” Cory was quick to add.
Adrian smiled and shook his head.
“You know, I have to admit something to you,” Cory whispered. Adrian’s apartment was so quiet, she felt compelled to whisper.
“And what’s that?” Adrian whispered back.
“I didn’t warm up before.”
“I knew it,” he loudly exclaimed as he exasperatedly flung his hands into the air.
“Come on.” And Cory thought she was dramatic? “I was running with a Marine for the first time in my life so I wanted to show you how fit I was. I really didn’t mean to cause you so much trouble, Adrian.”
“You could have seriously injured yourself.” Adrian shook his head and added, “Cory, I could see how amazingly fit you are already. No need to kill yourself in the process to prove it to me.”
“Thanks,” she said.
“You’re most welcome,” Adrian returned. “So since we’re on the topic of admitting things … I gotta admit, you have the most amazing legs … so firm and smooth,” he said in a voice that was so sexy to her, his eyes never leaving hers. “Do you uh, weight train? Because your legs are so well defined.”
Cory felt all flushed out. She was sure she changed color, from brown to bright red. “Sweet talking me won’t get you anywhere, you know,” she laughed. This guy was definitely trying to charm her pants off. Not that she minded.
“I know. I realized that since we met,” Adrian was saying. “But actually, I am serious. You’re a very beautiful woman, Cory. An exotic sun-kissed island goddess to be exact.”
What the hell was she doing? Cory kept reminding herself that Adrian wasn’t her type, yet here she was propped up on the man’s sofa listening to him call her a goddess. An urgent and maddening rush of anticipation made her head spin and caused her to stop thinking as clearly as she was accustomed to. Maybe it was the smell of the sports balm. Oh sure, Cory, since when did sports balm ever make anybody horny?
“I’m going to take a quick shower,” Adrian announced. She nodded, hardly able to speak.